The detection of a particular chemical composition of soft tissue in the human or animal body is required for many medical applications. These applications include, for example, the exact localization of ligaments and tendons, for example in the case of bone fractures, the identification of an incipient calcification of ligaments, the estimation of amount of cartilage present in joints, or the distinguishing of healthy body tissues and hematomas in a certain time interval after the emergence of the hematoma.
To date, corresponding chemical anomalies and/or salient features in soft tissue have chiefly been identified by using magnetic resonance tomography. However, this requires the use of a magnetic resonance tomograph that is not available straight away in every case.